Your Decision
by Spunky Kitten
Summary: Rachel decided to stay on Floor B1 just a little longer instead of asking to be sacrificed so she could die. She enjoys her dysfunctional family, consisting of Danny, Eddie, Cathy, and sometimes Gray. One day, the resident of B6 wanders onto her floor and the two make an odd connection. The more time they spend with each other, the stronger they feel when facing their inner demons.
1. First Meeting

**An AU where Rachel chose to stay on the Floor B1, but she and Zack still get to know each other. And the Floor Master's all get along…sort of…**

 **I've thought on this for a while, and I have a lot of plot points already mapped out. It's the details in between I need to work on and experiment with.**

 **Anyway, fan of the game or not, I hope you enjoy! Reviews are welcome and I do appreciate constructive criticism. But please don't make the whole review solely about typos I made. I always go back and try to fix them, learning from my mistakes in the process.**

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Isaac Foster, or Zack as he preferred to be called, wasn't the curious type. He was more of the indulgent type. And no, his indulgence had nothing to do with money, drugs, sex, food, or any of the nasty shit a person could think up into their dirty little skulls. He found pleasure and exciting in killing; slashing bodies into lifeless chunks of meat as the fear and despair in their eyes remained until blood spewed from their veins. Well, if he was being honest, food was an issue at the moment. He had forgotten to demand his first meal, so sitting in his room while his stomach growled loud enough to cause an earthquake wasn't the best way to spend the afternoon, or whatever time it was outside. Not like you could tell from underground.

So anyone who new of his nature would be surprised when Zack decided to trudge his way to the upper floors, of his own accord, to get something to eat. He wasn't entirely fond of passing the other crazies in the basement on their respective floors, but he was too hungry to care. They didn't usually show their faces to other Floor Masters anyway, unless they wanted something. Like one week when Eddie had to ask Danny to use his laptop to buy a new shovel online. Or when Cathy asked Gray from more execution devices. Other than that, their interactions were limited. Yes, there was that apparent rule where Floor Masters couldn't leave their floors, but that was only when a sacrifice was in the building. Right now there wasn't, so free roam was an option.

Zack could feel the eyes peering at him as he ascended each floor. Danny's floor creeped him the hell out with not just a single pair of eyes watching him, but a whole fucking audience-worth number of eyes in jars observing his every move. He wasn't supper fond of the grave dirt smell on Eddie's floor. The super white walls on Cathy's floor made him feel like he was in a goddamn asylum. The old man's floor felt kinda normal, with its church feel and nothing that screamed "You'll be dead in seconds." He was out, so Zack couldn't ask where the food was. He suspected it may be one the floor right above. He'd actually never been to Floor B1 before. He didn't even know if there was a killer up there. For all he knew, Floor B1 was the storage area. Basements were usually where people stored stuff. And killing people was hella illegal, that much Zack was aware of. Keeping up a cover with a normal-looking basement with supplies and shit was an option.

With that thought and another growl from his stomach that sounded like a volcanic eruption, the bandaged killer decided it was worth the risk to check. Floor Masters weren't allowed to kill each other anyway. And if there was a killer, if they didn't show themselves with a dopey grin on their face, they wouldn't get sliced. Besides, he'd be close to the exit if he was on B1, so escaping would be a piece of cake.

Zack entered the elevator and hit the up button with his fit, a scowl on his lips as his hunger became more apparent. But when the elevator finally opened, he didn't expect what he saw. It looked like the hallway of any normal house; a couple dressers, walls painted a boring color, and wooden floors. There was a flight of stairs going up too. It all looked…normal. It certain didn't have a killer vibe to it. It just looked like a cookie-cutter house. Was this the cover used for the killing floors? If so, it kinda sucked considering the huge-ass elevator made no effort to be concealed.

"Yo!" Zack yelled, "Is anyone here?!" Only an echo of his voice came as a response. The dark-haired young man took that as a good sign. But when he took his first step down the hall, something whizzed past his vision and lodged itself into the wooden floor, just a centimeter away from his foot. "Tits on Christ!" he exclaimed, seeing that the object was an arrow. More rained down from the ceiling and Zack made a dash for the door at the other end of the hall. Luckily, none of the arrows even grazed him. He put his hands on his knees, panting after the sprint he just took. "Fucking hell! What the fuck is wrong with whoever lives on this damn floor?! They shouldn't even be attacking me! Great, now I'm fiendin' to kill 'em!"

He growled with irritation and slammed the door open but paused when he heard a quiet gasp. The smirk that appeared on his face could send a shiver down anyone's spine. The older male chuckled maniacally and held up his scythe. "I know you're there~" he sang deviously. "Got some real guts attacking me like that. So here's the deal. I'm gonna count to three, you run yer ass as far as you can get, then I come and slash ya."

When the figure turned, the first thing Zack noticed were big blue eyes, illuminated by the glow on the small television that was on in the dark room. He could also tell she was a girl, her long blonde hair slightly pooling on the couch cushions as she sat. But then he went back to her eyes; they were filled with the complete opposite expression of the one he wanted. Those big blue irises were cold and dead, showing no semblance of fear or despair.

The girl tilted her head and stared at him intensely. "Really?" she asked curiously. "Will you really kill me?"

"Yeah, so start runnin'," the bandaged psycho demanded, bending his knees so he'd be ready to give chase.

"…Why?" the blonde asked, not moving so much as an inch.

The room was dead silent. It took a little time for her response to sink into Zack's brain. "…Huh?"

"Well, that scythe of yours tells me that you're Zack from Floor B6, like Father Gray told me. You're taller, older, and based on your kill record, can run much faster. Three seconds wouldn't get me far. And besides…I don't mind if you kill me."

The bandaged man suddenly backed himself into a corner and spun around. The girl curiously watched him, but to Zack it felt like her dead eyes were pinning him down. He couldn't help himself, puking his guts out on the dark blue carpet. Did…did this bitch just ask him to kill him? What kind of sick fuck was okay with dying, especially at the hands of a monster?! That shit ain't right!

"My name is Rachel Gardner, by the way," the blonde, who he'd learned was named Rachel, softly spoke. "I guess you haven't heard much about a nobody like me. That's okay, though."

"Not like I paid attention to the other weirdos on this floor," Zack remarked after wiping his mouth clean.

"I see," Rachel whispered, then quietly went back to looking at the television.

Zack's eye twitched as he used his brain for the first time in a while to assess the situation. This girl just totally disregards a serial killer! Well, if she's in this building, she must be one too. But she was such a tiny pipsqueak. He couldn't even imagine her stepping on an insect without blubbering or something! Zack wanted to get the hell outta there and revert back to just ordering food from Gray. But…something in his gut told him to stay. And he normally trusted his gut. And if he was wrong, slashing her would be easy as pie.

"So what's your deal?" the killer found himself asking as he plopped his ass on the other side of the couch, kicking his feet up on the wooden coffee table.

"My deal?" Rachel repeated, tilting her head in confusion.

"I mean, like, why are ya here? I mean, yeah, ya kill people, but what do ya get out of it?"

"What do I get out of it?" Rachel parroted back, closing her eyes as the question rolled around in her head. Instead of answering, she turned to Zack and asked, "What about you? What's your reason?"

"Cuz those fuckers get on my nerves; with their happy-go-lucky smiles and shit!" he ranted. "I love that split second when those happy smiles turn into despair! Man, what a rush!" The man focused his bi-colored eyes on Rachel as he panted softly, not realizing he had talked so much in such a short breath. "Maybe that's why it feels so boring when I think of killing ya. Ya got these really dead eyes. Now you talk."

"I'm sorry," Rachel apologized, "I don't know. No one ever makes it to my floor, so I haven't really learned anything from killing. As for why I'm here," Rachel looked up at the ceiling and folded her hands as if she was praying, "I wanted a perfect family. And then Doctor Danny found out and brought me here. He comes up a lot to check on my health and talk about my eyes." A shiver went down Zack's spines when he heard about the eyeball-loving freak. "Cathy sometimes comes up to do my hair and talk about punishing sinners. I don't really listen, but it helps fill the silence." Zack almost sighed in relief. No need for a Cathy 2.0 to make this nuthouse even nuttier. "I haven't seen Eddie in a while, but he usually tells me facts about graves. I guess that's fine for now."

Zack knew he was dumb and didn't like using his brain often, but he was just more curious now. What did she mean by wanting the perfect family? Has she been paying attention at all to these weirdos, or just blocking out their crazy? And he thought everyone here was just in it to kill people freely. That's why he was there at least.

He opened his mouth to ask but was cut off by a voice over the intercom. "The person on the bottom floor has been deemed a sacrifice," the announcement stated, "All residents please return to and prepare on your floors."

"I guess that means you have to go," Rachel quietly said, looking back at the television.

"Good timing too," Zack cheered, grabbing his scythe as he stood. "All that jabber has me fiendin' to kill!" But before he could rush back to the elevator, there was a small tug on his jacket. He turned to see it was Rachel's hand balling up some of his jacket material. "What do ya want now?"

"Will you come back?" the blonde asked, staring up at him with her big blue, but still dead, eyes.

"Who knows," the bandaged man bluntly replied and hauled his ass to the elevator. "See ya around, Ray," he said just before the doors closed.

Rachel stared ahead at nothing, pondering the chance meeting. He was about to kill her, and she was perfectly okay with that. But there was something else. His company was nice too. More than her own mom and dad's, who were laying peacefully in their bedroom tonight. Rachel head a fist to her chest, a soft smile gracing her lips. "Ray…" she whispered. It was something that was all hers now; a special name with possible weight to it. It felt…nice.

She wanted to hear it again.

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 **I've been in a slump with Miraculous Ladybug lately, so I thought I'd try something new since one of my favorite fandoms has been resurrected since its transition into an anime. I loved Angels of Death when it came out and I watched the full playthrough of it. I adored the premise and enjoyed how it was executed, no pun intended. So I hope you Angels of Death fans like my story. And even if you haven't seen or heard about it, I hope you like this and it may encourage you to see what the fandom is all about.**


	2. Rachel's Hope

**Thanks for the support in the comments, guys! I appreciate it! I want to make this story truly honor the original game.**

 **Enjoy!**

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"The sacrifice has been eliminated," the announcement chimed over the intercoms, breaking Rachel out of one of her reading sessions, "You are now free to move about."

"Free to move, huh?" Rachel quietly spoke, marking the page in her book and putting it back on her bookshelf. She also had to disable the traps just in case. She didn't want a repeat of last time. Zack was almost hurt from the sounds of it…

The young blonde padded out of her room and peeked at downstairs from around the corner upstairs. She eyed the elevator for a reason even she couldn't ascertain. She met an interesting person not too long ago. He commented on her eyes, more bluntly than Doctor Danny, and talked to her. Is that what people call a friend? Rachel never had friends before, so she could only guess. Zack was an…interesting person. It was obvious he was older than her, but she's also seen some pretty tall teenagers, so she couldn't pinpoint age. He was covered in bandages, so only the skin around his eyes was visible, and it was dark so Rachel couldn't tell. He also cursed a lot, which reminded her of her dad. But unlike her dad, he seemed to use the words a little more loosely, as if he said them just because he could; like it was a freedom of his… But she didn't have much information on his so she couldn't really establish an opinion of him.

The elevator whirred to life, causing the top floor resident to jump suddenly. Her heart was beating so fast. Why? A heart is only supposed to beat faster if someone was excited or scared. And Rachel certainly was shaking from fear. Could she be excited at the prospect of Zack visiting her again? He called her Ray. He gave her a nickname. If he wanted an attachment, she could do that. She could fix them up together, so they'd never be apart. Her fingers twitched, tempted to grab the items she felt most comfortable using when trying to _make_ friends.

But a familiar voice snapped the girl out of her daze. "I said, let me go, you bastard!" That voice…wasn't Zack's.

"Hi Doctor Danny," she greeted the older man that stepped out of the elevator. She then looked to the kid who Danny was holding in the air by the overalls; the one who had just spoken. "Hi Eddie."

"Rachel, my love!" Eddie cheered and thrashed out of the doctor's hold. He pranced right to the top of the stairs, taking off his mask to reveal a mop of red hair and shimmering emerald eyes. His freckles emphasized the bright smile on his face. "It's so good to see you!" Eddie took Rachel's delicate hands in his gloved ones. "I've been so busy making new graves for all the sacrifices, and that stupid doctor kept telling me not to come here! He's trying to keep us apart! He's just jealous that we were made for each other and are gonna get married one day!"

Rachel only met his love-induced rants with her usual blank, dead-eyed stare. She directed her attention to the doctor. "Can he stay if you're here then?"

Eddie huffed and stomped his foot in protest. "I wanted it to be just you and me!" But then a tender smile graced his lips. "But if it's for you, then I'll do anything; even put up with the creepy eye doctor!"

"You talk as if I'm not in the room, you little brat," Daniel piped up, his good eye twitching. He then focused his gaze on Rachel, or more specifically her eyes. He was probably searching for that dead look he claimed he saw and adored in them. His smile told her he was satisfied. "Very well. He can stay, as long as he doesn't damage those precious peepers of yours."

"I would never hurt Rachel!" Eddie defended. "Unless she wants me to, of course. I'm not a creep like you. You're definitely the creepiest here, and that's _including_ Zack!"

That name alone caused the young blonde to perk up a bit. So the others knew Zack? On what sort of level did they know him? "Zack," Rachel found herself blurting.

Doctor Danny heard her quiet voice and smiled. "Oh yes. But that _thing_ lives on B6. _It_ won't bother you all the way at the top. No need to worry your pretty little peepers."

Thing? It? Zack was not a _thing_. He certainly wasn't an _it_. Just hearing those words flung in his direction caused her heart to tremble. Although Rachel didn't understand why it vexed her so. She had only spoken to Zack for a limited amount of time. She still didn't know much about him. But he said he'd see her around, and even gave her a nickname. Did that make them friends? That was good, right?

"I just need to check on Mom and Dad first, okay?" Rachel asked, pointing to her parents' bedroom.

"Of course," Danny replied, still smiling, "Do what you must."

The blue-eyed girl walked to the end of the hall and opened the door enough to peek her head in. "Mom? Dad? Doctor Danny is here. And Eddie came to play. Is that alright?" Her question was met with silence. "Yeah, we'll be sure to keep it down so you can rest. And…I think I made a friend yesterday. Aren't you proud of me?" The dead quiet of the room lasted for a few seconds. "Yeah, you can meet him, but I know you like to make good first impressions, so I'll hold off until you're ready. I'm gonna go play now, okay?" Silence. Rachel nodded and slowly closed the door, a strange look in her eyes and she whispered, "I love you too, _my perfect parents_."

When Rachel was finished, she strode down the stairs to the living area, where Eddie was waiting and watching television. She sat next to him but made sure they stayed a safe distance away from the screen before Doctor Danny could scold them. The redhead had turned on the history channel and a piece about Egyptian mummies was displayed. At this point, Rachel wasn't that surprised with Eddie's entertainment choices.

"My parents say hello," the blonde quietly said, glancing at Eddie before returning to the program.

Eddie grinned and bounced in his seat. "I hope they like me! I want them to know I'll treat you right!"

But his fantasies about love and marriage went unheard by Rachel. She tended to tune him out. They had to stop watching television after Danny abruptly shut it off, saying "so much time staring at a bright screen could damage her peepers." So she and Eddie would play card games or share interesting facts. He knew a lot about graves and different varieties of soil while she knew many different types of sewing techniques, whether for making a toy or for medical purposes. Rachel wasn't the type to complain—she didn't want to be selfish like in the past—but having the same routine almost every day could get a tad boring. Playing outdoors wasn't an option, and Doctor Danny had forbidden her from cleaning by herself because dust would get in her eyes.

She had done practically everything she could in this place. She sometimes went to Gray to listen to his sermons. Cathy likely to put her in different outfits—she was a fan of the maid one from that one time—and invite her to B3 to show her how to shoot a variety of guns at "sinners." Doctor Danny just likely to sit and admire Rachel, or more specifically her eyes. And even though Eddie was her age, their knowledge of what kids their age would do was limited. So they had to made it up as they went along.

When it was time for bed, Danny and Eddie bid her farewell, although she could hear their bickering just before the elevator doors closed. The blonde stayed by the elevator for a while, waiting patiently for them to open back up. She knew it was selfish of her, but she couldn't help but hope. Minutes passed by, but no sign of life came from the elevator. With a sigh of disappointment, Rachel trudged her way upstairs. But just as her hands twisted the doorknob to her room, the elevator gears noisily turned, indicating it was moving up to her floor. The girl gasped, frozen still as that shred of hope deep within flourished once more. She waited for the sounds of the shutters opening, still rooted to the spot. A quick intake of breath filled her lungs as she waited in anticipation.

"Hey!" a familiar voice shouted once the elevator had silenced. "I'm not takin' a damn step off this heap of metal till I know nothing's gonna try and chop my head off!"

And her hope did not disappoint. It was Zack! He had come back!

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 **As always, comments, reviews, and constructive criticism (aside from pointing out my typos) are welcome. Thanks!**


	3. Are We Friends?

**I have nothing to say for now, so one with the story!**

 **Enjoy!**

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Rachel scurried down to the elevator, just to make sure she had heard correctly. And yet, there he was, standing a couple feet taller. His hoodie has a lot of bloodstains on it, and from the smell they were fresh. The announcements were so little time apart as well. So it was safe to assume the sacrifice died on Zack's floor.

"It's safe," Rachel answered after secretly pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "I hadn't reset the traps yet, so it's safe to walk around." She stepped aside and motioned her arm to welcome him in.

"That better be fucking true," Zack growled, pointing his scythe at her with a serious glare, "because I hate liars."

"I wouldn't lie to you," Rachel immediately responded, confident in her words. She wouldn't lie to a friend. That would be selfish. And she has already been selfish enough, the evidence of such lying on a queen-sized bed upstairs. Her fist trembled slightly, but not from fear. Rachel looked up into Zack's bi-colored eyes, excited that he had returned. "You really came back," she whispered.

"Of course I did!" the killer shouted. "Didn't I just tell ya that I fucking hate liars?! I said I'd see ya around! I'd be a piece-of-shit liar if I didn't try to follow up on that!"

"Okay. Gotcha."

"Tch! If that ain't the most boring response ever, I don't know what is."

Rachel was used to being called dull, but his demeanor towards her when her said that was much different than the others, so his attitude didn't faze her. "Would you like some snacks?" she asked. "Or I could make some tea if you want."

"Do I look like a fucking charity case?!" the dark-haired man suddenly snapped at her.

And yet, Rachel didn't take his words personally. "Well, if you don't want any…"

Her gaze never left Zack's. His eye twitched slightly as there was a moment of silence between them.

"I never said that," he grumbled, leaving Rachel to believe he probably barked at her out of habit, and he honestly did want something to eat.

"Alright then."

The blonde walked to the kitchen and stopped to look around, wondering what Zack would prefer eating. He seemed the type to throw a fit if anything healthy was laid out in front of him, so she could cross out vegetables. His appearance made him look like he'd eat meat straight off the bone. But she didn't have anything like that at the moment. Finally, Rachel assumed he might have a sweet tooth. Doctor Danny made it a habit to only stock her cupboards with healthy items and a surplus of foods he said we good for the eyes. But when he wasn't around, she managed to sneak a few sweet treats here and there. Rachel grabbed a tin of cookies after pouring a couple glasses of milk. She set all the items on a plate and carried it to the living area where Zack and lazily sprawled out on the couch.

"I'm back," Rachel piped up, causing Zack to jolt and reach for his weapon, but relaxed when his eyes met hers. "I thought you'd like something sweet, so I brought cookies."

"Fucking awesome!" Zack cheered, bouncing on the couch as he sat cross-legged.

His mismatched eyes lit up with childish glee when Rachel set down the treats and distributed the cups of milk. She observed how joyful the older male was when she opened the tin to grant access to the cookies. Zack immediately dove for one and shoved it into his mouth, humming in delight.

"How old are you, exactly?" the blond girl inquired, watching her companion with fascination.

"Around 20, I think," he answered between mouthfuls, indulging in the sweet treat once again once he finished speaking. "Shit, that's good!"

"Around? You think?" Rachel pondered what he meant by that.

"Where I come from, that kinda shit ain't remembered by anyone," Zack explained. "So I can't tell you any specifics when it comes to that."

"Not even your birthday?"

"Well…" Zack leaned back, staring at the ceiling, "I get this feeling around July 24. It's like, 'Congrats, you're still here.' So I guess my birthday's July 24 or something around then."

The blond girl could very well understand that. In the early days of her life slowly descending, that was the feeling she got around her birthday; back when she still had a great will to fight. But now, instead of feeling "Congrats, you're still here," she felt like, "Why are you still here?"

"So how old are you?" the dark-haired young man interjected. "Ya look like such a pipsqueak. You could pass for a tall 10-year-old!" Zack giggled at his joke while Rachel heaved a sigh.

"Despite my appearance," _probably because I didn't have too many proper meals before I came here_ , "I'm actually 16 years old."

"No fucking way!" Zack exclaimed with surprise and slight disbelief. Despite his tone, there was a big grin on is face. "But yer so tiny!"

"If you have any short jokes, I've probably heard all of them by now," the blonde teenager retorted, taking a sip of her milk. Some of the older girls at her school would tease her about her height. But she never took it to heart because it was just that; teasing. They commented on her was an advantage to her cuteness, but that was beside the point. "So you live on B6, right? I've never been down there. What does it look like?"

"Like yer typical back alleys. I hate stuff that's complicated, so it's a simple setup; some rooms but mostly alleyways. I don't really clean up after kills either. Gray takes the body, but I leave the place as is."

"I see." Rachel nodded and closed her eyes, imagining his floor in her head. "I can only imagine. I've never really gone into any alleyways, so I can only guess from glances when I pass by."

"It's not like the 'normal' world, Ray," Zack commented before he chugged his glass. "Some freaky shit happens that any sane guy would piss his pants over. Hell, I've seen some do just that!" He cackled loudly, the sound reverberating off the living room walls.

"Gotcha," she responded in her monotone voice.

Her blue eyes blinked owlishly at Zack when he groaned loudly. "Ugh! Yer responses are boring as fuck! I'm bored already!"

"I'm sorry… I'm pretty boring, huh…? But…I thought we could talk more…"

The young man scowled at the girl, obviously annoyed. "Sorry to piss in your Cheerios, but I don't like to chat." Rachel lowered her head, her golden bangs covering as eyes. Was she such a bad friend that she couldn't even keep him happy? "But I ain't got anything better to do, so…" The girl's head snapped up to look at Zack's expression. He still wore an irritated look, but it had considerably softened as he glanced her way.

In that moment, Rachel felt a little lighter. She nodded softly. "Then…I'll do everything I can to be entertaining to you. So…can you stay a little longer…?"

"Tch. Whatever."

"Then," the blonde paused and mulled over some possibilities in her head, until one just popped out of her mouth, "I think I have some supplies. We can draw pictures or something."

"What am I, five?!"

"Sorry…" Rachel looked away, gripping her arm tightly and biting her bottom lip. "I never left this floor. And I don't want to be a burden. I have a lot of sewing supplies, but I don't have a lot in terms of things we could do together…"

Silence loomed over the two as Zack stared at the short girl who looked so depressed, but so empty at the same time. "It's gonna be shit, but I guess we could."

Rachel's eyes seemed to light up despite their hollowness. She eagerly nodded and scrambled off the couch to get to her room. She searched her drawers for the crayons and markers, then grabbed a stack of blank paper off her desk. She quickly padded her way back down the stairs and to where Zack was impatiently waiting, rapidly bouncing his leg.

"Took ya long enough!"

Rachel, in the short time, grew accustomed to Zack's brashness. Her intuition told him he didn't intend to hurt her with his words, so she shouldn't be offended by what he said. She set the art supplies of the table and grabbed a sheet. Her companion followed her lead, taking a red crayon with his bandaged hand and starting to scribble on the paper.

Curious as to what he could possibly be thinking, ocean blue eyes took quick glances to her left as the girl continued on her own piece. She couldn't help but stare in wonder at his work. It was mostly a mass of scratchy lines, nothing coherent or linear to them. But she could make out a few things.

"Is that Doctor Danny?" Rachel couldn't help but ask, seeing a stick figure with messy hair, what looked like a poor attempt at a lab coat, and a face with X's for eyes and the tongue sticking out as an actually well-drawn scythe blade was draw at its middle.

"What if it is? Gonna tell on me or something?" Zack leaned in and growled at her, but Rachel didn't even flinch.

"No," she responded immediately, "I actually think it's good."

The sneer on his face slowly morphed into a slack-jawed expression. For a few seconds, he imitated a fish out of water as he stared at her, gathered the scrambles of his thoughts. He honestly never heard someone praise him or something he did before, except to demean him. But she said it so simply and bluntly. Finally gathering together the shambles of his brain, Zack just let out an embarrassed huff, going back to scribbling.

Rachel decided to do something different. And to confirm what she wanted to know. So she took a new sheet of paper and drew Zack's face as best she could. When she was done, she wrote a little note in the corner. "To My Friend Zack" it said. The teenager gently pushed the finished piece to him. The older of the two took notice of something moving from the corner of his eye and glanced over to see his face staring back a him. It wasn't perfect, but it was hella impressive.

"Damn!" the dark-haired man exclaimed as he snatched the artwork off the coffee table. "Gotta admit, ya got my mug pretty good, Ray!" But then his eyes scrunched up, brushing the corner with the writing with his thumb. "What's this?" he asked, staring down at Rachel.

She fidgeted for a moment, worried he didn't really like being called her friend. "Do you not like it…?"

"Well, I dunno what these squiggles are," he added, causing Rachel to blink in confusion, "but what ya drew is pretty sweet."

"Oh," the blonde quietly said, coming to a realization, "Is my handwriting that bad? I'm sorry."

"Sorry that's what it is," Zack muttered, staring the piece of paper down. "…can't…" he muttered, but Rachel couldn't discern what he was saying.

"What was that?"

"I…I can't…" But that last word was still incoherent to her ears.

"Could you repeat that please?"

"I can't fucking read, okay?!" the killer suddenly shouted, angry less at Ray and more at nothing in particular.

"I see," Rachel replied, not taking her eyes off Zack. "Well, would you like me to teach you some time?"

"Nah," he rejected, waving his hand dismissively, "That would just be a waste of everyone's fucking time."

"How so?"

"I'm a killer, Ray. I slash people up for kicks, getting joy from their terrified faces. And look at me. No way anyone's gonna even try to talk to a face like this. I ain't got a reason to read or write. Plus, I doubt I'll learn a damn thing."

Rachel considered his words for a moment, slowly thinking up potential things to say. "Zack, it's okay if you weren't taught back then. I won't pry as to why that happened. But…you shouldn't just give up. You could be much more capable than you think."

"Tch. As if." He stifled out a loud yawn. "I'm heading back to my floor now." Zack hauled himself up from where he sat, grabbed his scythe, and headed for the elevator. But just as the doors opened, he felt the familiar tug of his sleeve. He didn't even need to turn around. "Yer still not done?"

"Will you come back again?" Rachel whispered, causing Zack to turn to look at her.

He huffed and looked back at the elevator within a few seconds. "How about you get off this dusty floor and come find me instead sometime?"

"Really? Thank you." She took a deep breath, ready to ask her final question of the day. "And…are we…friends…?"

Zack didn't spare her a glance as the elevator was ready to take passengers. But before the doors closed, he called out to her. "You figure that one out, kid! You're the brains here!"

As Zack rode the elevator back to his floor, he pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket. He unfolded it to reveal the drawing Ray made for him. "Friends, huh?"

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 **Wow! That's a long chapter! Like I said, I wasn't fully on the details of the story, just the main plot points. Rachel teaching Zack to read is one of them. Hint: It'll be a useful thing in future chapters.**

 **Anyway, see ya in the next chapter!**


	4. Road of Relations

**Hey guys. I'm back. I'm also back in school. *sarcastic cheering* Anyway, I know this is late, but I've actually contributed to the Angels of Death fandom with videos over on my YouTube channel. I've made 4 so far. Link to my channel is near the top of my profile if you want to check them out.**

 **I also decided that I'm splitting this little journey and meet-up into two parts. This one will better establish Rachel's relationship with the other residents and how she perceives her existence when being in their space.**

 **Also, I know Gray in the game has an odd manner of speaking, and it feels Shakespearean. But I also did my best to make it easy to understand.**

 **Enjoy this (really,** _ **really**_ **) overdue chapter!**

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Leaving was something Rachel never did. It was something she was told _explicitly_ not to do. And Rachel was always one to follow the rules, just accepting what she was told to do. But there was one new factor in her life that made her consider leaving her floor. Zack resided in the basement's second lowest floor while she was at the top floor. They were so close yet so far.

For the first time, Rachel felt like a missing piece in her life was slowly and carefully being stitched back into her. It was a feeling she craved for years but never received. But Zack had become the first to try and connect with her on a personal level. He could've just said his peace and left. But he stayed and learned more about her. And she learned about him in return. One of those things being he was illiterate. She wasn't going to try and pry into his past. She didn't like it when the therapists tried poking around in her history, so why would he like it any more than her?

Rachel had a small backpack with a notebook, a pencil case filled with art supplies, and a few easy to understand games ready to go for her little adventure. When the elevator opened, the blonde stepped in and stood patiently as it made its descent to the next floor down. She fidgeted with her fingers nervously, having never even been past the elevator doors before. And now she was venturing to the lowest floors just to ensure that Zack wouldn't abandon her and her attempts at friendship.

The elevator shuttered to a stop, its doors opening to reveal the church-designed floor that belonged to none other than Gray. Rachel had only met him a few times, and she liked listening to his preachings whenever she did see him. He was the one who informed her of all the other residents within the building, as to serve as a list of who not to kill. He was also the one who provided her everyday necessities—food, drinks, entertainment, supplies for traps—when Doctor Danny was out on business.

The blonde girl stepped out of her method of transport and navigated her way through the intricate halls, unfamiliar with the full layout of the building. Whenever she tried to ask for details, Doctor Danny would shut her down and tell her she had no need for such information. But if Rachel was anything, it was sharp. She could solve equations in seconds and notice subtle details that could be important. Surely, she could make it to the next elevator that went down by examining the floor thoroughly.

"Ah, Rachel," a deep, familiar voice called out to her once she entered the cathedral, "To what do I owe this visit?" Said girl turned around to see Gray suddenly standing by the piano, staring at her with his pupil-less eyes. "Hath thou come to listen to my sermons? Or perhaps thou seeks a new trap to set."

"No, Reverend," Rachel politely answered. "I'm just looking for the elevator that leads down."

The reverend quirked an eyebrow, a curious smile gracing his face. "Oh? And why doth thou seek to descend? I had thought thou wouldst stay on thine own floor."

"Well, I have something on need to do…on another floor…" Rachel looked away, feeling a little overwhelmed by her motives. Gray was not the nosy type, but he did enjoy his role as an observer. So, it was inevitable he would try to get the truth out of her.

"And pray tell which floor doth thou wish to venture? Thou hath not took the time to visit Eddie, nor hath thy taken notice in Cathy. Danny visits thee every day, and he is away at present."

Rachel gulped and looked up at Gray with her expressionless gaze. "I'm going to…B…6…"

Gray hummed in curiosity, then proceeded to ask, "Hath thou met Zack? Tis pertinent to inform thou thusly that Zack kills as he pleases, without remorse. Tis his simplistic nature."

"I know," Rachel affirmed, remembering when she read each resident's profile sans Gray's. "But we're…friends. And I wanted to bring him some things…as a friend." It was awkward for those words to leave her mouth. They are foreign on her tongue. A tingling sensation emerged, almost begging her to never utter those words, as if they'll bring great misfortune if spoken again. She always did make the people around her suffer in the end.

"Well best make haste. Of Zack's few virtues, patience is not one." Gray turns from her, walking down the aisle toward the large doors.

"Can you not tell Doctor Danny about this?" Rachel pipes up just as the reverend is about to exit.

The man turned back with a soft but mysterious smile. "I shalt not interfere; merely observe." He turned back and opened the door, nodding his head once to it before leaving.

Rachel nodded back, even though he wasn't there to witness it. His words were easy enough to understand. He wouldn't say a word, but that didn't mean he wasn't watching. From their conversation, it seemed Gray had a particularly soft spot for Zack among the other residents. Also, he was leading her to the elevator. The blonde adjusted her backpack and went through the door Gray had exited. From the long corridor, she found herself in a confessional-style room.

The girl stood still for a moment, thinking. A confessional existed for people to confess their sins, to be favored in the eyes of the Lord once more. But even if one were to bare their soul to God, would He still desire that soul? Or was a confessional simply false hope for a tainted, wretched, unrepairable soul?

 _I have no time to stand around_ , Rachel realized and shook the thoughts from her head before they could spiral and consume more of her time. She scuttled down the long halls decorated with stain glass windows. At the other end was the elevator, most likely leading down. Rachel slipped into it once it opened and continued her journey downward.

Her next stop was unusual, but something she sort of expected. The walls were a light-toned gray and an old-fashioned camera stared back at her once she exited the elevator. She was confused for a moment, until she stepped out and the wall behind her instantly slid down, revealing a familiar measurement chart. It was the one used to measure criminals in mugshots. Then again, this was Cathy's floor, and she did mention being a prison ward before coming to the building.

 _Criminals_ … That word rang something awful in Rachel's heart. Someone who committed terrible and unforgivable acts was labeled as such. But…who justified what actions? That was God's job, wasn't it? Was God speaking through the people who convicted the criminals? Rachel stared down at her black-and-white striped shirt; traditional colors of a prisoner. This room made something deep within her want to bubble to the surface. It wanted a release; to be as terrifying and unforgivable as a common criminal. After all, wasn't a criminal a complete burden to deal with? So why not place the part?

Rachel once again shook the thoughts away from her head and exited the room. She needed to get to Zack faster. She looked around, seeing nothing but empty hallways and iron bars blocking certain pathways. The sound of crackling static emerged, and the blond looked up to see megaphones in the corners of ever wall. She stood unmoving, waiting.

"Ah, Rachel," Cathy's voice cheerily announced over the speakers, "What does a lovely little sinner like you need so far from her floor, hm?" Without giving Rachel a second to reply, she continued. "Perhaps you've taken an interest in my methods to punish criminals and wanted to see some of the action? Or maybe you need help with your outfits. Heaven knows Danny has very little taste in women's fashion. Oh! Where are my manners? Come! Come!"

The blonde was slightly startled when an iron gate suddenly swung open, leading down a long corridor. Since there was nowhere else to go, Rachel steeled herself back up and trotted down the hallway. She came to a large iron door with a little window at the top barricaded by iron bars. It too swung open after a while, revealing a dark room. _Is anyone even in here_?

Just as that thought crossed her mind, a series of spotlights poured a beam of white light down on her, and a round of applause resounded throughout the empty room. When the noise died down, the entire room was illuminated, revealing an almost unhealthy number of various guns hanging from the ceiling on the other side of a reinforced glass wall. Bullet holes and blood stains riddled the floor on the other side as well.

Rachel was brought back to reality when she heard clapping just to her right. She angled her head to see Cathy sitting in a plush chair in front of about fifteen monitors—Rachel didn't know why Cathy needed so many if the sacrifices were only able to move in a single direction, making them that much easier to watch with just one monitor—and clapping joyfully with a smile plastered on her face.

"Yay, they work!" Cathy exclaimed, doing a happy and uncharacteristic spin in her chair. "Sorry if I startled you, darling. But the Reverend had bought me the new whip I requested that could control the lights and activate sounds. Ah, it works like a dream~!" She nuzzled the handle of her whip, swooning softly. Cathy then hopped out of her chair and gave the younger blonde a squeeze, but expressionless blue eyes didn't change.

"It's fine," Rachel quietly responded. "Anyway, I need to travel further down. I need to use Doctor Danny's laptop for something." The lie came out so smoothly, like warm honey dripping from her tongue.

If Cathy caught it, then it certainly didn't show. She let go of Rachel and pouted, crossing her arms. "Boo. I was hoping you wanted to become a little condemner just like me when you grew up—although I'll be the one true condemner, of course. I even had footage of wretched sinners writhing in agony all ready to show you."

"So, will you help me get down?" Rachel bluntly asked.

The strawberry blonde seemed to break out of her reverie and blinked. "Oh, yes, of course! I would offer my services, but unfortunately, there was a little…let's say _incident_ …with my laptop." She pressed a few buttons on her large panel and Rachel heard a creak from somewhere down the hall behind her. "There you go, dear. And if you still want new ways to punish sinners, I'll be right here." The younger blonde nodded her head and turned back the way she came. But when she was out, Cathy called out, "Good luck~! Oh, and pierce the throat directly if you want them to choke on their own screams~!"

"Got it," Rachel's reply quietly echoed through the empty halls.

When she got to where she originally was, a new iron gate had opened, leading her to a room with a long set of iron bars dividing it in half. Bullet holes covered the floor surrounding the elevator as well. Rachel cautiously stepped through the iron bars and into the open elevator. The shutters closed behind her before the mechanism began its descent once more.

It almost felt like a routine at this point when the elevator opened back up, revealing a differently designed floor. Rachel's breath was taken away by the beauty in this one. A pretty man-made waterfall covered the pathway to the elevator once she was through. A garden of lush greenery surrounded the otherwise dreary room, butterflies from unknown origins fluttering to greet the vibrant flowers. In the center of the scenery was an uncovered grave. The gravestone was large and intricately made while the coffin was filled halfway with flowers. Rachel confirmed her beliefs upon closer inspection. The gravestone had her name etched into it. Perhaps this was the grave Eddie had said he made special for her, out of love and sincerity.

Yes, Rachel no longer had the will to live. But she could never commit suicide. The Lord wouldn't forgive her for such a transgression. Taking one's own life was denying God's gift. But…what if that person deserved it…? What if that person wasn't favored by God to begin with? Would suicide really be only a last resort then? What if…

"Rachel?" Eddie's voice echoed in confusion. Said girl turned from observing the grave to see the redhead, mask in one hand and shovel in the other. "You're really here!" he cheered and ran up to her, clasping her hands in his. "Oh, I knew you'd come one day! I don't blame you for sneaking away. That doctor is so stuck up!" His green eyes traveled over to the grave and his green grew wider. "I see you found it! This is the special grave I made just for you after we get married! Dying by mutual love, entrusting our hearts and souls to each other, is much more beautiful than some mangled corpse, don't you think?"

The blonde slowly nodded, even though she wasn't particularly listening. Nonetheless, Eddie tugged her along to see the other graves he made. He jumped excitedly from one to the next, explaining why he put certain details in and why they were in a particular room. Rachel started listening intently when he started talking about the room of those favored by God and the room of the traitors. If that was the case, then what about the room her grave was placed in? It was certainly more beautiful that the other room, filled with more life than her final resting place probably should have.

"So…what do you think?"

Eddie's question broke the blonde out of her reverie. She scanned the area one more time, to get a better look so she could give a less hollow statement. She nodded in finality. "You do great work down here."

The redhead lit up and grasped her delicate hands tightly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hearing you say that makes me so happy! Now that you're with me, in the space I call my own, we can have so much fun together!"

"Actually, Eddie," Rachel interrupted, making the boy pause, "I need to get down to B5 for something, while Doctor Danny is away."

"And what's that?" he asked curiously.

"It's…personal…" She was too selfish to tell him she was going to meet a friend. He would probably try and stop her, telling her he's the only one she needs. She can't let him do that. If he did, then he'd be an obstacle… And if he became an obstacle…

"Okay, I trust you!" the young gravedigger chirped, dragging Rachel along to the elevator while pressing some buttons on a remote control in his hand. "Do you need me to go down with you, just in case that bastard shows up?"

"No!" Rachel responded, a little loudly, surprising even herself. "N-n-no," she answered more quietly. "I'll be okay. I'd really like to do this alone."

Eddie pouted, but he nodded. "Okay. It's probably girl stuff I don't need to know until we're older." He pushed another button on his remote, causing the elevator doors to open. Rachel stepped in, but before they closed, Eddie looked at her hopefully. "But you'll come back to play right, my sweet bride-to-be?"

"I'll try," the blonde bluntly replied before the doors shut, leading down to Danny's floor.

She didn't even hesitate to rush out of the elevator and look for the other elevator that would lead downward. She knew just a smidge about Danny's floor since he showed it to her just once, but she was good at quickly absorbing information. Rachel looked through every room, occasionally finding a few death messages colored on the walls with blood. It was to be expected, since this whole building was full of serial killers, and Doctor Danny was no exception. She rummaged around his desks until she found the key in a drawer beneath a shelf lined with false blue eyes. Rachel was unbothered by this, knowing full well Doctor Danny only took her in because she had blue eyes. She didn't hesitate to think he would leave her to her own devices if her eyes were a different color.

The blonde shuffled to the elevator of the opposite side of the floor and unlocked the elevator with the key. It took a few seconds before the elevator began operated and opened up to Rachel. With a nervous gulp, she entered, her only worry being Zack's reaction to her showing up unexpectedly. She knew a little too well how some people reacted to the unexpected.

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 **And done. I don't know how I managed almost 3000 words, but I did. I guess a full month does that. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Constructive criticism is always appreciated in terms of the story itself. And I do read back on my stuff, so any mistakes I find, I'll fix immediately. Until the next chapter!**


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